Residential code requires a space of at least 4" between the edge of a pedestal sink or wall hung sink and the adjoining wall for access of cleaning (and retrieval of things)

I think it would make sense to allow at the same minimum around the rim of a free standing tub for the same purpose. More would probably be better.

The thing that I remember about my grandmother's 1911 bathtub was that it was not all that easy to keep the surrounding area clean. You had to get down on the floor to clean under it. It was a clawfoot with freestanding supply and drain. If you used a pedestal that sat on the floor you wouldn't have to worry about underneath.

Check out our latest blog post on the best practices to cleaning and maintaining a freestanding tub! http://bit.ly/2L3JeeZ 

People have addressed the issue 100 years ago when they all opted for enclosed tubs and got rid of free standing tubs :-)

The current fad has dribbled down from large bathrooms in which the tub has a lot of space around it to bathrooms in which a free standing tub is squashed into a relatively small amount of space and is up against one if not two walls. I would add that the free standing tubs in large bathrooms are probably NOT cleaned by the owners by but housekeepers.

I had a clawfoot tub in a home I rented in my college years and it was a bitch to keep clean for all the reasons you are worried about. I am sure there are people who will claim it is no issue to clean around it and I guess that depends on how much hassle you are willing to put up with in terms of cleaning versus just having an unobstructed floor to clean.